Moving Tips? Moving to Tuscon, AZ

Hi!
I have never been to Tuscon but several times when my husband and I were traveling to an unknown city, I wrote/emailed to both the police department and the Mayor to inquire where the safest places were to stay and what places to avoid due to high crime rates. They always responded and it really helped. Also you might do a Google search for a website called Next Door Digest. You can look up Tuscon and see what the neighbors say about the area. You can sign up for it and post an inquiry about where a safe affordable area to live in Tuscon might be. The hospitals you want to be near may also be a good resource too.

As far as moving tips, I always found clean new plastic garbage sacks are great for transporting bedding and pillows. Also, make lists and check them off. That way, you won't lose anything.

Good luck! I'll say a prayer for you!
PML

@carolee888 My sister-in-law lived in Tucson for many years and when we visited her, I made several observations. Traffic is quite bad, so be sure to find your apartment near your hospitals and doctors. Or think about the area a bit south known as Green Valley.

As a Plano resident you are familiar with the summer heat and humidity, winters will be a bit warmer. Get a good air purifier, with the surrounding mountains, there can often be days of "inversion" with bad air pollution.

Good luck with your move.
Sue

Thank you, I will check out Green Valley, I hate pollution, Last year was horrible for it. I had to cancel appointment because my asthma was terrible then. Traffic is bad in Plano too.

A move to Tucson? How exciting I lived in Tucson for over 20 years ( trying MN out now) . From Christmas to Easter the weather is beyond perfect. And yes, summers are HOT - but it brings the monsoon rains which are amazing. Traffic - a bit thick at the height of snowbird season, but I lived on the north side of the city - not much of a problem there. The pollution is actually dust in the air trapped down by certain low or high pressure systems. There are many dirt roads all over Tucson, even horse properties where you would never guess… unless you take a wrong turn, I also lived in Green Valley awhile. It’s a retirement town full of active seniors. Golf courses and more. The retirement villages there offer lots of activities. A little bit cooler. The further south you go the higher the altitude ( Phoenix is north of Tucson and is way too hot for me- usually ten degrees so). If you love trying new restaurants and hitting Broadway shows … Tucson. If you love a calmer vibe, still with some restaurants and a movie theater , Green Valley. Both have hospitals. Although Tucson offers more specialized ones . That being said - the drive between the two places is only a half hour or so. As for packing … the biggest trick is thinning everything out as a you go ( I have moved often and didn’t learn this trick for awhile ). As Marie Kondo would say - “ take those things that bring you joy”. The rest… donate or sell. It may be fun to do a new decorating style in a new place. There are two amazing thrift stores, furniture and more, all at a bargain … The white elephant in Green Valley and habitat for humanity restore in Tucson. I also always try to pack in smaller boxes when able ( like a medium size) so I can lift and move them more easily by myself. The better you label and put like with like… the easier the unpacking will go. As for Asthma ( which my daughter has)- she does great in Tucson, other than a few weeks in spring when everything is in bloom all at once. The Palo verde trees are a real killer for her ( even though they look so amazing covered with their yellow flowers). Then she needs to refill her inhalers ( the trick is in early spring, even when the nights are cool and you want to open your windows, don’t - let the AC filter that air… but all fall and winter it’s great to open windows at night … hot days and cool nights ). The rent is a bit high, as are home prices ( probably Tucson more expensive than Green Valley). The last few years drove it up ( CA folks moving over ) but it seems to have stabilized. The Tucson places with better rental prices seem to be SE of Tucson or way north. I know people that live both those places as they are out of the hustle and bustle ( but not that far where you can’t go to town for a doctor or show) but I am not familiar with the specifics. I wish you well. It’s a great place to explore!!!!